A Letter Home
by kepulver
Summary: What If, after his time in Vietnam, Snake-Eyes went home with Stalker, instead of Storm Shadow? Written for the GI Joe Fanfic Bootcamp AU exercise


**Author's Notes:** Takes place in the 1970s, date unknown since Marvel comics/Larry Hama never really pinned down the dates exactly. Probably around 1971-1972. Written for the GI Joe Fanfiction Bootcamp Exercise #22, which was to write the Joes in an alternate universe. Centers around events depicted, at various times, in the Marvel GI Joe comics.

**A Letter Home**

Dear Momma,

I'm writing you to let you know I'm going to be home soon. I know you're still probably pretty mad at me for trying to fool you about where I was stationed and I can't blame you for that, but I'm hoping you're glad enough that I'm alive that you can forgive me.

(Oh and if you're wondering how come my handwriting is so pretty, there's a nurse writing this out for me since my right arm's in a sling.)

I'm also writing because I need to ask you a favor -- a really big favor. See, I got a friend who's in a bad place right now, a really bad place and I want to try and help him out of it but I need your help to do that.

See, my last mission in Vietnam, me and my team were exiting the low-lands when we got hit by an ambush. The helicopter was there, ready to take us home and believe me Momma, we ran like our feet were on fire to get to it. I made it there first and scrambled in, yelling for the pilot to wait for my guys.

Only my buddy -- we call him Snake-Eyes -- he took a few rounds and went down. I thought he was dead or close enough to it so I yelled for Tommy, the other guy in my group, to leave him and keep running for it but Tommy went back. Him and Snake-Eyes were close, like brothers. so I guess I can't blame him but at the time I thought he was nuts.

You should have seen him! Tommy ran like he was dodging puddles in the rain instead of bullets and he did it while he was carrying Snake-Eyes over his back, even though Snake-Eyes had a good forty pounds and six inches on him.

Tommy got right up to the helicopter and tossed Snake-Eyes on board; me and the gunner were cheering like it was a football game and Tommy had just scored the winning goal. Tommy was grinning like a maniac as he started to climb on board and he was still grinning when he took two shots in the back. He went down like a rag doll and the pilot took off then because if they were getting that close to us, they were way too close.

I think Tommy getting killed was harder on Snake-Eyes than getting hurt himself. Him and Tommy were close, like I said. Tommy was even inviting Snake-Eyes to come live with him and his family and join their business in Japan. I broke my arm wrestling Snake-Eyes down, trying to keep him in the helicopter when he was trying to go after Tommy's body.

Snake-Eyes was real quiet on the plane ride back to the States. He was glad to be coming home, but he was quiet about it, not whooping and hollering like the rest of us were.

When we got back to the airport, I waited with Snake-Eyes for his family to show up. We were there for hours, just waiting and watching everybody else meet up with their people until finally, it was just us left.

That's when this officer shows up and you could tell by the way he moved that he had a load of bad news. He came up to us and told Snake-Eyes that he was very sorry -- and you could tell he really meant it, too -- but Snake-Eyes's family had been killed in a car wreck on the way to the airport. Some drunk had crossed the center line and plowed into them, killing everybody.

Momma, Snake-Eyes just stood there. He didn't cry or yell or scream or anything. He just stood there, nodding like he expected it. Like the world was just out to do him dirt. That officer took me and Snake-Eyes back to his base and put us up here at the base hospital -- that's where I'm writing all this from. They're keeping a close eye on Snake-Eyes and I think they're scared because he's not acting upset like a normal person would. I heard an orderly say they're watching him, making sure he doesn't try hanging himself or anything.

Okay, Momma, this is where I ask for that favor. I know you're still mad at me for lying and I know lying is the worst sin in your eyes, but Momma I want to tell Snake-Eyes he can come home with me. He doesn't have a soul in this world. He lost his best friend and his family -- him and his sister were twins, just to make a bad thing worse. I'm the only person who he can call a friend right now and I want to help him out. I want him to know that he's got a place he can call home.

I know you always took in strays when I was little, Momma. There was never anybody who went hungry if they could get to you -- not cats, not kids, not the bum on the corner. Snake-Eyes isn't a bum, he's just a guy who got kicked way too often, way too hard. Please help me do this, Momma. Help me make things right.

Your loving son,

Lonzo


End file.
